FAQs Archive

Q: What is a deed of gift agreement?

Because the mission of BOHP is to make our narratives publicly accessible for historians, educators, researchers and future generations, a BOHP team member will walk narrators through the deed of gift agreement before any interview. In effect, this agreement allows a narrator to legally donate intellectual property (in this case, their stories) for the benefit of local history and the general public. The agreement clarifies for both the narrator and BOHP how materials or rights related to the oral history will be managed as part of a donated collection (such as this website) and transferred to the BOHP archive. It also gives both parties the opportunity to place reasonable conditions on the nature of the interview (off-topic or sensitive subjects, for example).

Q: Can family members attend the interview with me?

We strive to foster an environment where our narrators can comfortably interact with the interviewer. As a general rule, interviews run more smoothly with minimal attendees present (including well-intentioned family members), unless they too are being interviewed. Of course, exceptions are made if a family member provides transportation to and from the studio.

Q: Who conducts the interview?

Interviews are conducted by our BOHP team members , who adhere to the professional guidelines laid out in the Oral History Association’s Principles and Best Practices . They prepare for each interview by conducting broad subject-area research, as well as background research into each narrator. This background research helps them to outline of the topics they hope to cover with the narrator over the course of the interview.